Candidate Profile: Love of country motivates Wied

Oct. 24, 2024

This article first appeared in the Oct. 24, 2024 print edition of The Brillion News.

By David Nordby The Brillion News

Oliver Bushman served in the United States Army in World War II, 232nd Div. Engineers. During the war, Bushman served in Guam, the Philippines and Okinawa, and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Tony Wied, one of Bushman’s grandchildren, in part because of Bushman’s service, has always had a passion for the United States. Wied has spent many years reading about American history and following current events. After he and his wife, Angela, sold their Dino Stop gas station chain in 2022, Wied was looking for a sign.

“I just basically through a lot of prayer … continued to ask for guidance on what was my next step, where could I make the biggest impact in the world, continuing to figure out what my purpose is, and I’ve always loved the country. I’ve always wanted to serve in some way,” Wied said in a recent interview with The Brillion News.

When Mike Gallagher announced in February that he would not seek reelection for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District seat, Wied said he found his sign.

“I knew that that was my sign and so then I made my intention right then and there that I was going to run for Congress,” Wied said.

Wied, 48, is the Republican candidate for District 8 in the Nov. 5 general election against Democratic candidate Kristin Lyerly. The district of around 750,000 people, includes Brillion, Chilton and Hilbert, sprawls through Calumet County, and reaches as far north as Marinette County and northeast through Door County. The last Democrat to win the district was Steve Kagen in 2008.

Voters will see Wied and Lyerly’s names twice on their ballots, the first vote to fill the remaining two months of the term left behind by Gallagher, who abruptly resigned from Congress in the spring, and a second vote for the full two-year term that begins January 2025.

Wied earned 40.1% of the primary vote in August over Republicans Roger Roth (34.2%) and Andre Jacque (25.7%) to qualify for the general election.

“I just believe in this country. I feel the need to do it. I feel it’s an obligation to do it, to serve this country. I think there’s a lot at stake, and I’m doing it for my kids and grandkids’ future,” Wied said.

Growing Up in the District

Wied has been a Brown County resident his whole life, with the exception of the first month of his life. Wied was born in Nebraska; his dad had played football on a scholarship for the University of Nebraska.

Then his parents moved back to the area and Wied attended Ashwaubenon Public Schools through eighth grade before he was a student at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay for high school. From there, he attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, where he was an outside linebacker on the football team.

“I was blessed to be able to play there. I love football, and it was a great opportunity,” Wied said.

Wied met Angela at St. Norbert, graduated in 1999 and the two have lived in De Pere ever since.

Wied’s parents owned a small business called Central Snowmobile in addition to two gas stations.

“I worked in those, and so then when I got out of school, I started putting together investment groups and then I got involved in that and we started growing our business,” Wied said.

That was how Dino Stop convenience stores were born. Eventually, they added Little Caesars pizza to their stores and expanded in the area.

“We had the good fortune of being able to sell our business. I didn’t think that it would be something that we could ever sell. It was a very difficult business with very tough competition with these major convenience stores that were coming into our market,” Wied said. “It was unexpected.”

That was also around the time that Wied and Angela were about to become empty nesters, as their four sons all entered either college or law school.

Since his foray into politics earlier this year, Wied has likened the political process to that of the business of the world.

“You have to put together a campaign team and hire people and learn a whole new business,” Wied said.

President Trump Endorsement

Wied’s name recognition was boosted prior to the primary when he received an endorsement from former President, and current presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

“As your next Congressman, Tony will work hard to Unleash American Energy, Stop Inflation, Secure our Border, Support our Military / Vets, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Tony Wied has my Complete and Total Endorsement – He will not let you down,” Trump wrote in his endorsement of Wied.

“Having President Trump’s endorsement is an honor of a lifetime,” Wied said. “He’s the 45th president and I believe he’s going to be the 47th president.”

Wied has touted himself as an “outsider” to politics, like Trump has with himself.

“I’m somebody that’s worked in the business world and the small business that my wife and I ran for many years. Being an outsider is similar to President Trump. I’m a big believer in America first policies and making sure that we focus on America first, the people of District 8 first and foremost,” Wied said. Wied says he has had multiple conversations with Trump. “I can bring up pragmatic problem solving. That’s what my background is and that’s similar to President Trump, and I think he liked that. It involves meeting with his team and also with him and I know he made the right choice in endorsing me in the primary and I’ve talked to him many times. We’ve met. I believe in President Trump, I believe in President Trump’s policies, and people are tired of the policies of this current administration right now and we’re seeing that with inflation and with the border being completely overrun and just the issues and instability around the world,” Wied said.

8th Congressional District

When asked if he feels there is more of a national spotlight on the district that he has called home his whole life because of Gallagher’s name being in the headlines during his tenure, Wied said this: “I look at this like I’m representing the people of District 8 and representing this country, so I’m going to do whatever I have to do to what’s right and serve the people here in District 8.”

“We’re a very big agriculture area,” he added. “We’re the third largest congressional district in the country for dairy farms, and the agriculture industry is a driver for our economy here, and I also see other industries in this area that are very strong, and I’ll definitely want to continue to work with them to allow for our economy to succeed.”

Lyerly, an obstetrician-gynecologist, has focused much of her campaign on abortion. Wied says the top concerns he hears from voters are about the agriculture industry, inflation and the border.

“I’m getting out into all 11 counties and listening to what matters to people and the issues they’re facing, and I’m a problem solver. I’m one that will attack problems rather than attacking people,” Wied said.

Wied says there is a “stark contrast” between him and Lyerly.

“I have business experience of running successfully our own small family business here right in this district. I’ve lived here my entire life, and having those experiences of signing the fronts of paychecks, having to take out loans and personal guarantee loans where if my business didn’t work, I would lose everything. All of those experiences that I’ve learned, I feel I have the experience to actually go and make a difference and solve the problems that people are facing. Unfortunately, my opponent just doesn’t have those experiences and that background,” Wied said.

Wied says he values strong leadership and being a role model in the community. He’s worked with nonprofit groups and coached youth hockey and soccer, something he said he found rewarding and would do again.

“We need good strong leadership, people that aren’t just attacking other people. Unfortunately, my opponent has a history of attacking people, where I’ve always had a history of attacking problems, and when you’re in business, you can’t just focus on winning arguments and attacking people. You have to learn how to solve problems. Move through the problem and move onto the next problem, and that’s what we need in Congress right now more than ever,” Wied said.

Wied said he plans to have conversations with business owners in the area about how to help at the federal level.

“It’s very difficult to own and operate a business. You’re responsible for a lot of things so our role in the House of Representatives is to make sure that we do the things we need to do to grow our economy to make sure that we have a thriving economy and a country,” Wied said.

Wied said the federal government currently has a “reckless spending problem”

“We’re spending probably $1 trillion every 100 days that we don’t have and that is what causes this inflation that we’re dealing with, and that affects businesses, and it is something I’m very concerned with,” Wied said.

The district has been strongly Republican since Kagen’s win in 2008. Reid Ribble won elections in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and Mike Gallagher won elections in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022. Unlike this election cycle where Lyerly and the Democrats have put a strong effort into the district, Gallagher was not opposed by a Democrat in 2022.

“I feel we have great momentum in this race, continuing to get out and meet as many people as we can and talking about the issues and talking about solutions to the issues that people are facing,” Wied said. “I’m feeling strong. I’m feeling very good about where we’re at and looking forward to a victory on November 5. I’m also really sensing that people are tired of the failed policies of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden here these last 3.5 years … My opponent is very much in line with those same failed policies of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, and I continue to hear that is not the direction that people want to go.”

Love of Family and Country

“My number one job in my life was to be a good spouse and a good father, so I’ve always focused on that first, and my wife and I focused on our business to provide for our family,” Wied said.

He said he met with each member of his family about his desire to run for office and all have been supportive.

“Talked to them about the negative side of dirty political ads that attack you. They’re baseless but they still do,” Wied said. “They were all completely on board. My sons were involved in the campaign and volunteered and even come home now and help. My wife is very passionate about it as well and fully supports me. We’ve always done everything together, my wife and I.”

Wied says “we live in the greatest country in the world.”

“We had these brave people that pushed back from tyranny, and we formed this free country, and it was difficult. It was messy and a country like this requires us to stand up and be bold and be strong in what you believe,” Wied said.

Wied meets with college students and even those younger and encourages them to get involved.

“We need them to be the next generation to get involved and be a part of this because a country like this, we need active participants,” Wied said. “I’m not saying you have to believe a certain way or whatever but get involved in the issues. Find out where you believe. Look at alternative news sources, gather data as much as you can and find the truth somewhere. I think it’s very important that we’re patriotic, that we stand up for the national anthem, that we’re proud because we do live in the best country, but it does take all of us to be involved. I believe in the First Amendment. You should be able to speak your mind. I believe in freedom of the press, but it does take us to get engaged, now more than ever, and I want to be that leader.”

Wied’s message to younger people when he meets with them is “it’s okay to be great.”

“It’s okay to find something you enjoy and get passionate about it. We need people to step up and continue to be successful. The more successful everybody is, the better, and we need that younger generation,” Wied said.

Closing Message

Wied’s final message to the voters in the district is about problem solving.

“It’s an honor of a lifetime to be in this position, to serve this amazing country that we live in. I will work tirelessly to do the good work of what the people want right here in District 8. I’ve spent my life in customer service and I’m ready to move into public service being my sole mission and I’m a good listener. I will continue to work hard to solve the problems that people are facing. I will always take a pragmatic approach, and I just believe in this country and I’m willing to step up and be a good strong leader for the people of District 8,” Wied said.

A few lighthearted questions

Favorite TV show or movie: Seinfeld

Favorite candy: Mike & Ikes

Who was on the poster on your wall as a kid: Wayne Gretzky

Favorite hobby or thing to unwind: Lifting weights

Three guests at your dinner table: Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump and Brett Favre.

Editor’s notes: The Brillion News published a feature with Lyerly, which was printed in the Oct. 3, 2024, edition of the newspaper and is available on thebrillionnews.com.

Lyerly and Wied met for a debate on Sept. 27, which is available for viewing by visiting WBAY TV-2’s YouTube page.